Molly's sick day
by Couragebold
Summary: Molly has the flu and Sherlock can't stand to see his favourite pathologist sick!
1. Chapter 1

Molly sighed as she examined the microscope. Her head pounded and her chest felt tight. She'd gone to bed with a headache and awakened with a fever and the case of a typically horrid flu.

However, she loved her job and had work to do, so wasn't going to let a cold stop her. The afternoon dragged by, and molly wondered whether Sherlock's particular absence had made the day go slower.

She enjoyed their time spent together working, even on the days when he would seem insensitive or blunt. She replayed yesterday's conversation in her head, the warmth of his eyes and he told her that she has always counted and always been important to him. She smiled to herself.

He was out on a case with John all morning, leaving Molly no distraction from the pain and discomfort she was in.

She looked at the clock. Only 12pm. How was she going to get through the day with all this work to Do?

Her head pounded and she felt hot and fatigued. Her mind was foggy and dizziness was consuming, leading to beginner level mistakes in her work, further frustrating to her day.

She leaned on the bench for support as she became absorbed into her work through the microscope. She heard the lab door open and shut just as a coughing fit racked her chest.

Sherlock entered, his expression quickly turning from indifference to concern as he took in Molly's body language.

Her watery eyes looked up to see a concerned Sherlock.

He walked up to her quickly.

"Molly, are you alright?" He looked down at her small form and his eyes narrowed in concern. Molly straightened defensively.

"Oh, Sherlock, hi, um, yes I'm fine thank you." She stammered nervously.

Sherlock's expression turned suspicious.

"Well, I believe that the definition of 'fine' typically would not involve exhibiting obvious fatigue along with an elevated heart rate and body temperature with congested sinuses and an inflamed chest cavity."

Molly's smile fell.

Sherlock stepped closer.

"You're sick, Molly. You should go home and rest for the day and you need to consume fluids regularly. I'll see you tomorrow."

He smiled, gathered some documents and left the lab. He was finishing the case with John.

A few more hours had passed and Molly refused to leave. She didn't want to seem weak or show a lack of endurance to her work, especially not to Sherlock.

As she sat writing lab reports and analysing data, she coughed violently. She felt extremely dizzy and her vision kept going in and out of focus.

She barely noticed the sound of Sherlock's return.

Sherlock entered, slowly removing his snow covered coat and hanging it behind the lab door.

He turned towards the desks when he saw Molly still working, her face pale and weak. The sight of her in obvious pain and discomfort struck him, as he felt his heart accelerate in fear and then in irritation.

"Molly Hooper, why are you still working in your condition?" He scolded her as she gasped and sat upright.

"I've done it! The woman must have been poisoned with her blood pressure medication! However I don't know which one so once you figure that out, we've cracked it!" She smiled to herself, pleased to be of use to Sherlock's case.

His expression grew irritated as he barely heard her conclusion, too focussed on her deteriorating condition.

"Molly, you will go home immediately and rest."

His voice rang with sternness and finality.

Molly pouted.

"Sherlock, I just need a few more hours on this case and I'll identify the medication it was, here let me show you-".

Sherlock immediately blocked her path to the laboratory. His tall frame looked intimidating compared to her small height.

She steadied herself slowly, standing as tall as she could. She refused to look weak.

"Molly Hooper, if you think that I'm going to let you stay and work, despite your obvious state, then you do not know that I value you. Now the case can wait, but you are leaving now."

She glanced to his right side, anticipating pushing past him.

Sherlock sighed in annoyance, anticipating her attempt. His eyes narrowed.

Molly shuffled her feet before dizziness causing her to sway heavily.

Sherlock gasped slightly and grabbed her forearms strongly, steading her.

He looked into her eyes, laying a long palm on her forehead.

"You're burning up and I'm not happy with the lack of colour in your face. Come now, I'll escort you home." He turned his body towards to door, slipping into his coat quickly.

Molly stayed put defiantly. "Sherlock, I'm so close to finishing this case and it's just a cold. I'm not leaving."

Sherlock breathed in slowly, refusing to become angry at her obvious lack of care for her own wellbeing.

He marched over to her, towering over her.

"Molly Hooper, in case you haven't noticed, I am significantly taller, larger and stronger than you and if you continue to disregard your own health, then I will have no choice but to force you."

She took a swaying step backwards.

He could see her eyes drooping and her face growing paler by the minute.

She decided to call emotionless Mr Holmes on his bluff. Plus she didn't have much strength left to argue with.

"You wouldn't."

Sherlock smiled a large sarcastic smile before swiftly but gently scooping Molly up , cradling her into his chest. He smiled to himself as her protests soon diminished as she slowly lost consciousness from the exhaustion.


	2. Chapter 2

Molly awoke with a start, trying to recall the previous day's event. She could hear the sound of birds outside, realising it must be morning.

Her chest felt heavier than the day before and her head throbbed relentlessly.

She slowly sat up, feeling the dizziness hit her. Looking around the room, she realised she was in an unknown bed.

Suddenly, the lamp flicked on, illuminating the figure seated on a chair next to the bed.

Sherlock had his normal indifferent expression on, however his eyes had a soft concern through them.

"Ah, Molly. You're awake. How are you feeling? I monitored your fever over night and it broke around 3am however I believe it has remained the same. You have a chest infection so should be on the mend in a week."

Molly stared, absorbing all that had happened.

"Why am I in your bed?" Her cheeks blushed red.

Sherlock attempted to hide a brief smile at her amusing expression.

"Well you were extremely ill. You didn't expect me to just leave you alone all nigh unattended in your condition did you?"

He smiled warmly.

Molly blushed thinking of all the trouble she had caused, having to be babysat by Sherlock. She also felt warmth in her heart, touched by the amount of concern and care he obviously had for her.

"Thank you, Sherlock. You really didn't have to go through the trouble."

She quickly remembered how close she was to cracking the case from the previous day, and wanted to please Sherlock.

He smiled in adoration of her silly thinking and his brow furrowed as she scooted to the edge of the bed.

Molly stood up quickly, dizziness and fatigue overwhelming her.

"No you don't!" Sherlock bolted upright, blocking her path and holding her forearms, gently guiding her back to the bed.

She gasped in surprise.

"But..Sherlock, I need to go to work to help you crack the case." She looked up at him with her warm eyes.

His eyes remained stern and an amused smile crept onto his face.

"Well, Miss Hooper, that's why I've booked the day off myself, because I cannot trust you to remain home and get well. Of course I could have asked Mycroft to hire security to prevent you leaving the house, however I thought I best look after you myself."

Molly tried to hide the deep blush and smile as she realised how caring he was to her behind his indifferent composure.

She began to interject, but he sternly glanced at her.

Sherlock turned towards the door.

"Now, would you prefer ginger tea or lemon? These reduce the severity of colds."

"Lemon please."

Molly sighed in defeat as Sherlock left the room, slightly shutting the bedroom door.

She had to return the favour, after how lovely Sherlock had been to her.

Perhaps if she could quickly sneak to the lab, she could test the drug to finish Sherlock's case and finish all his paperwork for him. I would take her 35 mins tops and she could at least show some thankfulness for all the trouble he'd been to the last day with her.

But how could she pop in and out by avoiding the superhuman hearing and instincts of Sherlock Holmes?


	3. Chapter 3

Slowly shutting the bathroom door, Molly heart pounded. She quickly changed into a long sleeve shirt and jeans that Sherlock had collected from her house while she slept.

Locking the bathroom door, she turned the shower on full force.

She smiled to herself and her genius escape plan, thinking of how pleased Sherlock will be when he finds out she's finished.

Standing on her tip toes, she deliberated as she slowly unlatched the window, listening for any signs of Sherlock .

She paused to cough violently, her head pounding and her breathing ragged the sickness.

She swayed slightly, praying she'd have the strength to even make it to the lab at this rate.

The cool breeze tightened Molly's chest as she opened the window. Slowly climbing on the bathtub, she scrambled out the window quickly, hoping the sound of the shower would mask her noise.

Landing safely on the ground, she bent over to catch her breath. Scanning behind her, she sighed in relief.

She quickly scurried towards the street when a large figure suddenly appeared around the corner, standing in front of her.

"Molly Hooper, do you have no sense of regard for your health?"

Sherlock stood towering over her, already wearing his coat.

She cursed under her breath, realising he must have already anticipated her escape plan.

She sighed, exhausted.

"Sherlock, I just wanted to finish the case off at the lab, to thank you for your trouble."

His eyes softened and his smile formed a thin line as he watched her ragged breathing.

He stood closer slightly bending down.

Molly lifted her head in defiance.

"And you have been so kind to me, that I won't be letting you stop me from helping you in return."

She feigned braveness.

Sherlock's expression became amused, rolling his eyes sarcastically.

She coughed again, calculating how to escape to the lab.

He slowly stepped forward.

"Molly Hooper, you are still ill, the cold air is exacerbating your cough and you are not well enough to work. If you refuse to respect your own health and come into the warmth, then I will stop you and I will make you."

His face turned stern as he stood closing, attempting to be menacing.

She smiled cheekily.

"Thank you, Sherlock, but-"

He interjected. "Very well".

In one swift movement he scooped down, gently throwing her over one shoulder, and began walking back to the house.

Molly hit his back with her fists playfully yelling for him to release her. Her struggles were pointless and she grew irritated, hitting his back .

Sherlock attempted to hide the smile that crept on his face.

"Oh you're adorable, Molly Hooper."


End file.
